POSTED: 9:54 p.m. EST, November 3, 2006

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Ron Branson's
crusade is launched daily from his garage in a nondescript house in California's
San Fernando Valley.

Branson, his wife, Barbie, and attorney Gary Zerman, have waged a years-long,
low-budget fight against judges and -- Branson says -- "a judicial system that
just doesn't work."

Branson's weapons are his computer, where he publicizes his crusade through
his Web site jail4judges.org, and the ballot box. His idea for a "judicial
accountability" initiative will be voted on Tuesday in South Dakota.

Known as Amendment E, the measure would create a special grand jury to indict
state judges if there are allegations they have violated their duties. It also
would strip them of their immunity from civil lawsuits. Civil and criminal
sanctions could follow.

It is believed to be the first proposal of its kind in the United States and
is among several judicial initiatives on ballots around the country next
week.

"It was just totally futile to go through the courts any more, and that's why
I left that process and I decided to write this initiative and go directly to
the people," Branson told CNN. "I'm a voice of a system gone out of
control."

Much of the public frustration was galvanized in the case of Terri Schiavo, a
severely brain-damaged woman in Florida who was the object of a legal tug-of-war
between her husband and parents.

State and federal courts allowed her husband, Michael, to have her feeding
tube removed, despite attempts by Florida officials -- prompted by her parents
-- to take control of her medical care. Congress hastily passed a measure
ordering the federal courts to intervene.

The political momentum from Branson's JAIL (Judicial Accountability
Initiative Law) movement is dismissed by many in the legal community, and has
caused concern over rhetorical attacks on judges and judicial independence.

Retired U.S. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor began a recent editorial in the Wall
Street Journal by mentioning Branson's group.

"It is tempting to dismiss this proposed amendment as merely an isolated bout
of anti-judge angst," O'Connor wrote. "But while the JAIL 4 Judges initiative is
unusually venomous, it is far from alone in expressing skepticism of the
judiciary."

Ballot measures in other states

Other measures up for a vote November 7:

• In Colorado, Amendment 40 would subject judges to term limits. If approved,
five of the seven justices on the state's Supreme Court would have to
resign.

• Oregon would establish new voting districts for appellate judges, based on
geography. The proposal is designed to "better reflect" the more conservative
views of rural areas, compared with what supporters believe are more liberal
judges from the Portland area.

Rebecca Kourlis, executive director of the Institute for the Advancement of
the American Legal System at the University of Denver said frustration with the
courts seem to be driving the movement.

Kourlis, until recently a justice of the Colorado Supreme Court, said the
legal community needs to do a better job of addressing public concerns and of
explaining its role to the public.

"We should absolutely be expecting accountability," she told CNN. "They need
to be accountable for being impartial, for not discriminating against people on
the basis of race or socioeconomic status or even on the basis of who their
lawyer is."

Kourlis' group recently released a report proposing wider use of "judicial
performance evaluations," a nonpartisan tool already in use in 22 states.

Judges are rated according to factors such as caseload management, courtroom
demeanor and adherence to laws. Judges are compared and evaluations can be used
by voters in states where judges are elected or chosen by special panels created
by the governor.

In Montana, the state Supreme Court found Constitutional Initiative 98
invalid. Under it, citizens could have used special elections to recall judges
over any "dissatisfaction." The court said there was "pervasive fraud" in the
signature-collection process.

Justice O'Connor sounds the alarm

O'Connor has tirelessly promoted the need for judicial independence. She
co-hosted a recent conference with Justice Stephen Breyer on the topic. And the
two of them spoke to CNN in an interview. (Full story)

The American Bar Association has distributed a DVD, "Countering the Critics,"
which it is screening at libraries, business clubs and churches.

All of this has had little sway on Branson.

The military veteran and minister is what is known in legal circles as a
prolific "pro per" by filing numerous lawsuits over alleged wrongs done to
him.

The U.S. Supreme Court says its records show at least eight appeals filed by
him, all dismissed without a hearing. Branson says the number is closer to
14.

Branson's frustration with the legal system reached a boiling point after
what he alleges was brutality from a traffic cop. His $13.6 million lawsuit
against the city of Los Angeles went nowhere, he says.

So he and Zerman drafted a proposed judicial reform initiative in April 1995
that failed to get on their home state ballot. They created a Web site.

They found an ideological soul mate in Bill Stegmeier. A South Dakota
farm-machine businessman, Stegmeier took Branson's idea and now spearheads the
drive near Sioux Falls.

His Web site shows Stegmeier has spent about $165,000 of his own money to put
the constitutional amendment on the November ballot and promote it.

E's supporters split

Stegmeier and his Amendment E supporters have split from Branson over a
dispute over tactics.

Opponents of the measure say the amendment is too sweeping, and would
threaten not only judges but ordinary citizens.

One such group is "No on E."

"Under Amendment E, almost all our families, neighbors and friends would be
vulnerable if called to jury duty: they could be sued by disgruntled litigants
and criminal defendants they convict," according to its Web site.

Such groups as school boards, zoning commissions and county commissions also
could be affected because they receive some judicial immunity for their official
duties, according to "No on E."

Stegmeier said only judges could be sued. He predicts victory.

Branson believes Nevada may be the next best chance to expand his
initiative.

"What judgment you judge, you shall be judged," he said. As ordinary
citizens, "we don't make laws, we're just called on to obey them, and I think
that rule applies not only to us, but applies to judges."

For those who have CNN
cable TV, Ron Branson will be on "CNN Newsroom" this Sunday, Nov. 5, at 4 p.m.
eastern time. You are invited to tune in and watch/record
it.